Tunisian President Kais Saied on Wednesday named Najla Bouden Romdhane as the new prime minister reported Africa News. Romdhane has become the first female prime minister of Tunisia who now has a role to lead country’s the government after her predecessor was sacked by the president.
According to a statement released by the president’s office, President Saied has instructed the new prime minister to name a new Cabinet as soon as possible.
The presidency released a video of the president meeting the new prime minister in his office and asking her to form the cabinet.
“I have decided to task you to form a new government and this is the first time in the history of Tunis that we have a woman as head of government,” the Tunisian president said.
Ms. Bouden is a French-educated geologist with a doctorate in geological engineering. She was previously a lecturer at Tunisia’s National Engineering School.
Tunisia doesn’t have a prime minister since July when President Saied suspended the Tunisian parliament, sacked the previous prime minister, and assumed wide executive powers.
The opposition and critics described the controversial move as a coup. Saied claimed that the step was necessary to save the country from economic and social crises. He said the move followed years of political deadlock exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Tunisian president has been under tremendous domestic and international pressure to form a new government. Last week he announced that he could rule largely by decree. The move bestowed vast executive powers in the hands of the president.
Mr. Saied said the new government would work to eliminate corruption and chaos that have spread throughout many state institutions.
Ms. Bouden will be the tenth prime minister of Tunisia since a 2011 uprising ousted longtime dictator Zine El Abedine Ben Ali, resulting in the Arab Spring revolts.
